WRC, Mexique : La bataille commence à l’Alhondiga…/ battling to commence at the Alhondiga

La cérémonie de départ du Rallye du Mexique se déroule à Guanajuato, ancienne cité minière classée au Patrimoine mondial de l’UNESCO. Le podium est situé devant l’Alhondiga de Granaditas, un monument chargé d’histoire pour le Mexique.

L’Alhondiga de Granaditas – la Halle aux grains – est une imposante bâtisse construite au début des années 1800 au cœur de Guanajuato. C’est aujourd’hui un musée d’histoire et d’art qui symbolise le début de la Guerre d’Indépendance du Mexique.

Le 28 septembre 1810, c’est en effet à l’intérieur de l’Alhondiga de Granaditas que s’étaient réfugiés les troupes espagnoles et les gouvernants du régime face aux indépendantistes emmenés par Miguel Hidalgo et Ignacio Allende.

La prise de l’Ahlondiga fit suite à de nombreux mouvements d’insurrection initiés par le prêtre Miguel Hidalgo, à Dolores (Grito de Dolores), à Salamanque. En arrivant à Guanajuato, Hidalgo disposait de 50 000 hommes prêts à en découdre avec les Espagnols.

L’assaut débuta au petit jour. C’est un mineur de Guanajuato, surnommé El Pipila, qui incendia la porte du bâtiment dans lequel les insurgés pénétrèrent et massacrèrent les Espagnols (2200 tués). Les troupes d’Hidalgo quittèrent la ville le 1^er octobre en direction de Valladolid.

Ce n’est que 11 ans plus tard, le 28 septembre 1821, que le Mexique accéda à l’indépendance. Miguel Hidalgo, surnommé El Zorro (le renard), fut exécuté le 30 juillet 1811 à Chihuahua. Considéré comme le père de patrie mexicaine, Hidalgo figure toujours sur les billets de 1000 pesos.

L’Alhondiga de Granaditas a été transformée en musée en 1958. C’est l’un des principaux musées d’histoire et d’art du Mexique.

Le Championnat du monde des Rallyes FIA permet aux équipages, suiveurs, spectateurs et téléspectateurs de découvrir des lieux chargés d’histoire, comme l’Alhondiga de Granaditas à Guanajuato, la Porta Nigra au Rallye d’Allemagne, les Fontaines Magiques et le Palau Nacionalde Montjuic au Rallye d’Espagne…

As usual, the Rally Mexico start ceremony will take place in UNESCO world heritage-registered Guanajuato. The ramp is situated in front of the former mining community’s historically important Alhondiga de Granaditas.

The Alhondiga de Granaditas (grain market) is an impressive building erected in the middle of Guanajuato at the beginning of the 19^th Century. Above all, it is famous for its role in the Mexican War of Independence.

On September 28, 1810, it is to the Alhondiga de Granaditas that Spanish troops and the regime’s administrators fled from Independence fighters led by Miguel Hidalgo and Ignacio Allende.

The storming of the Alhondiga followed a number of uprisings initiated by Hidalgo in Dolores (Grito de Dolores), Salamanca. On his arrival in Guanajuato, the priest was accompanied by some 50,000 men prepared to fight at his side.

The assault started at dawn when local miner ‘El Pipila’ set fire to the door before fellow fighters entered the building and massacred 2,200 Spaniards. Hidalgo’s troops left Guanajuato on October 1 en route for Valladolid.

It was only 11 years later, on September 28, 1821, that Mexico finally gained independence, by which time Hidalgo – nicknamed El Zorro (fox) – had been executed on July 30, 1811, in Chihuahua. Considered to be the father of the Mexican nation, he still appears on the country’s 1,000 pesos banknotes.

The Alhondiga de Granaditas was converted into a museum in 1958 and is one of Mexico’s main art museums.

The FIA World Rally Championship provides crews, followers, spectators and television viewers with a chance to discover a number of major historical sites in the course of the season, from Guanajuato’s Alhondiga de Granaditas, to the Porta Nigra in Trier (Rallye Deutschland) and the Magic Fountain/Palau Nacional de Montjuic in Barcelona…

True Adventure - Episode 3 / The Return to Dakar

Racing is deep-rooted in Honda’s DNA. The urge to push the boundaries of engineering and human endurance has led Honda back to the Dakar, the toughest off-road race in the world. The spirit of adventure that led us to conquer the desert continues to drive us now and into the future

Attaining Nirvana In a Citroën DS

In the early 1990s, Jeff Suhy was a young executive at A&M records in Los Angeles when he first heard a band from the far-flung reaches of the Pacific Northwest. The group, which eluded categories and didn't seem particularly interested in cultivating a mass audience, was Nirvana and its new album was a collection of songs called "Nevermind." Soon, this peculiar trio from the shores of the Puget Sound was the biggest thing going and music would never be the same again.

Suhy, as it turns out, gravitates toward turning points, whether in culture or in industrial design, which explains his love affair with the Citroen DS.

"The Citroen DS is a car that defined the future of automotive design when it appeared in 1955," says Suhy. "It immediately made all other cars appear antiquated, and even cars today are influenced by technologies pioneered by the DS."

Whether it was the hydraulic suspension, the safety features (such as an engine that, on front impact, was designed to slide under the car instead of into the driver's solar plexus), or the self-leveling headlights that turn with the front wheels, the Citroen DS was remarkably ahead of its time. Indeed, the car was a a true product of the Space Age, when auto manufacturers found themselves awash in technologies that they were itching to use in the wake of World War II. Citroen was ultimately rewarded handsomely for its innovative efforts, selling more than one million DSs over the model's twenty-year-lifespan.

Whether in terms of Seattle grunge bands or French cars, then, it turns out that there may be some accounting for taste after all.

 via http://www.petrolicious.com

Drive Tastefully^®

TOP 5 YAMAHA XJR1300 CUSTOMS

The big news on the custom scene right now is the launch of the revised Yamaha XJR1300. The old bruiser has been revitalized and repackaged into two variants: a standard version with wide bars and a seat big enough for two, and a Racer with clip-ons, a small fairing and front fender, and a solo seat.

There was never anything wrong with the ‘old’ XJR1300, but there’s plenty to like about the new one (below). The styling has been tidied up, with a slimmer tank that exposes more of the engine.

Handling is good, with fully adjustable suspension and Öhlins shocks. Build quality is flawless, and new monobloc front calipers have upgraded the braking to 21st century standards.

The man behind this renaissance is Holland-based Yamaha product manager Shun Miyazawa, who is also driving the Yard Built custom project. Not surprisingly, the new XJR1300 is easy to modify—so we’ve picked out five of the best recent pro builds to provide a little inspiration.

Wrenchmonkees ‘Monkeefist’ Revealed two years ago, this was the first of Yamaha’s ‘Yard Built Specials.’ And it still looks amazing today. The bodywork is standard, but the front end is from a YZF-R1. The spoked wheels are custom-built, with a 19-inch at the front and an 18-inch at the back for an old school look. The stainless steel exhaust system returns to the twin-muffler megaphone look of older XJRs, and helps the bike hit 118 rear wheel horsepower on the dyno. Good news for fans of the Wrenchmonkees’ distinctive style: a collection of custom parts is now available.

More images | Wrenchmonkees

Keino Cycles ‘Rhapsody in Blue’ A springer front end is not what you’d expect to find on a modern Yamaha. But New York-based master builder Keinosuke ‘Keino’ Sasaki has made it work, and given the XJR1300 a dash of elegant, old school style. Keino’s decision to slim down the tank predated the ‘new’ XJR1300, and the stubby tail unit adds to the feeling of compactness. Brembo brakes, exposed air filters and a sinuous custom exhaust system increase the sporting vibe.

More images | Keino Cycles

It roCKS!bikes ‘Stealth’ Osvaldo Coutinho and Alexandre Santos are two of Portugal’s leading builders. The name they’ve chosen for their company may be odd, but the thinking behind this 2003-spec XJR1300 is common sense. The mods have been designed to save weight, and include Kawasaki ZXR forks, Brembo brake calipers and a new steering stem. The carbs breathe through CNC-machined velocity stacks and the exhaust system is titanium. Motogadget provided the digital dashboard and hand controls, and the finish is low-key rather than flashy, with a matte varnish covering the new paintwork.

More images | it roCkS!bikes Facebook

The Sports Custom XJR1300 café racer Most customs from Thailand are small-capacity, go-anywhere machines. But not all: this brutal-looking XJR lives on the streets of Bangkok and comes from a lesser-known builder called The Sports Custom. The tank, seat and tail unit are custom fabricated, lending the bike a aggressive and hunched-forward stance. Clip-ons and rearsets change the riding position to match, and we’re betting those upswept mufflers make the bike easy to hear above the cacophony of Bangkok traffic.

The Sports Custom Facebook

Deus Italy ‘Project X’ Deus has built two eye-catching XJR1300 customs: the endurance themed ‘Eau Rouge’ (bottom shot, right) and the stripped-back ‘Project X’ (above). Here, the goal was to reduce weight and shift the visual focus on to the air-cooled engine—and it works beautifully. The bodywork is all-new, hand-fabricated in aluminum, and the bars are wider than stock. There’s new Öhlins suspension front and back, a Brembo brake system, a titanium exhaust from Leo Vince and super-light Marvic magnesium wheels. If you like the look, Deus now makes a kit to fit your own XJR1300.

Yamaha Europe XJR1300 product page | Yamaha Yard Built | Facebook

via BIKEexif

SLEEPING ENGINE IDIOT BY IZAL THE ORIGINAL LAZY

A beautiful story, for those who love art. Cafe Racer, is an art that is very, very perfect. What is important when you building a magnificent steed? Do you always think by using a 750cc engine, or more? just try to think again. Some of you may not always be in a rich place, get all the luxury items that you want. What an interesting story, I will tell you in the second paragraph.

If you live in Indonesia, many people who will tell you as the unfortunate man. Why is that? previously as I ever tell you. In Indonesia, motorcycle tax is very, very high. Regulations have also been set by the Indonesian government, the most striking is the “vehicle tax imported into Indonesia is 150%”. As a poor man and just have a penny. What can you do there?

Several weeks have passed? for what? surely you are wondering. Just trying to find a needle in a haystack, in Indonesia. And finally I found the needle, and I became acquainted with the man who has the nickname “Izal Lazi”. This is a bike that He was named as the “Sleeping Engine Idiot”.

And of course you must be wondering, what brand, and what the engine? Well, before that. Let the owner introduced himself and find out where he came from. Just call me Izal Lazi, you may already know, I come from Indonesia, Bandung precisely. I am an amateur, even I don’t understand about the engine, I built it because I was bored with my daily activities to design t-shirts, I’m a t-shirt designer.

This is my first job, outside of my expertise. It is a Honda engine, a 100cc engine capacity. In Indonesia is better known as the Honda Win 100. This is the first project and I worked alone for the design, and the rest I was assisted by a specialist welding near my house, but all designs are original direction of my own, well quite a bit of DIY, but the results make me satisfied.

A simple vision when building this bike is how to make a bike that looks simple to be very remarkable and don’t need to spend a high budget. How do I work on this bike? The first thing I did, was to redesign the standard frame into a cafe racer. Once the design is is finished I make the whole frame, just take the position of the engine alone and paint with matching color, black.

You could say this is 100% custom motorcycle from its original form, maybe you can see it in google with keyword “WIN HONDA 100″. Some people might say I’m crazy, because building a custom motorcycle just use the feelings and moods. But after the bike is finished, they had to admit that this is cool, because this is the first I struggled and an unusual thing for me.

I bought this bike online through the internet. At that time all the parts are original, but for the Sleeping Engine Idiot I just use a few, because the original design of the Honda Win 100 was slim and long like a pencil. However, at some point I didn’t remove the original characters.

If you ask, any interesting challenges? So many challenges, especially this is the first time I create a custom bike, but I helped with my other skills. I use my knowledge of graphic design, with a design that is not too extreme, because actually I use this bike for daily use.

How does the bike ride? as a vintage cafe racer, this is a very comfortable bike, powered by a pair of soft suspension, making us drive into a convenient. If you ask, what will I do next? are there new projects? I have plans to make Honda S90 into the cafe racer, but with my own style.

If you have any questions about this bike. Please add Izal Lazi as your friend and chat with him.

via http://otomotif.org

Endurance : Histoire de livrées et de couleurs, part 1…

par Guillaume Robert (Endurance-Info.com)

 

Que ce soit sur un circuit avec quelques spectateurs, autour d’une table entre passionnés ou bien sur la toile par écrans interposés, lorsque l’on échange sur le sport automobile et ses diverses disciplines, un sujet revient régulièrement dans les conversations : la décoration des voitures. Nous vous proposons donc une série d’articles afin de développer le sujet en commençant par une petite phase historique, ainsi que l’avis de plusieurs passionnés.

Un sujet dont l’importance ne semble pas être la même dans l’esprit du public que dans le cahier des charges des équipes ou bien même des constructeurs. Bien que certains jouent le jeu, officiels ou privés, force est de reconnaître que la créativité et l’originalité ne remplissent plus les grilles en endurance. Je dis bien plus, car même si jusque dans les années 60 et tout début 70, les voitures prenant part aux épreuves ne portaient sur elle qu’une robe unicolore sur lesquelles un simple numéro de course était apposé, les années qui suivirent, jusqu’à la fin des années 90 (exception faite de quelques années où les plateaux étaient peu garnis), les pelotons ne manquaient pas de couleurs !

Souvenez-vous des grilles du Championnat du Monde Sport Prototypes avant les années 90 où les écuries privés et les usines jouaient le jeu : Porsche 956 “Repsol” (Brun Motorsport), “Shell” (officielles), “New Man” (Joest Racing), “Kenwood” (Kremer), Mazda 787B “Renown”, Jaguar XJR “SilkCut”, Mercedes “Kouros” et autres Rondeau aux diverses livrées. Il est vrai que par la suite, Loi Evin oblige, beaucoup ont du se passer de leur sponsor principal, et par conséquent des couleurs allant avec dans certains cas. Ceux qui ont connu le renouveau du Grand Tourisme (dès 1994) avec le championnat BPR (Barth-Peter-Ratel) vous le confirmeront, là aussi les plateaux étaient riches en couleurs ! Par la suite les choses ont commencer à changer (fin des années 90), et pas nécessairement dans le bon sens pour beaucoup de ces passionnés.

Certes, d’après eux, ce qui manque sur les grilles ce ne sont pas les couleurs, car il faut bien reconnaître que la diversité est présente de ce côté là, mais ce qui semble faire défaut, c’est l’originalité des réalisations. Il est pourtant possible d’avoir un sponsor principal identique (et donc ses couleurs) sur plusieurs saisons sans pour autant réaliser systématiquement la même livrée chaque année. De nos jours, grâce à l’informatique, la conception et la réalisation d’une décoration peux se faire beaucoup plus simplement que dans les années 80 ou même 90. Il suffit de voir ce qu’il se fait en NASCAR depuis plusieurs saisons où avec la Conception Assistée par Ordinateur (CAO), on crée sur écran l’ensemble de la livrée sur une image 3D de l’auto, on imprime ensuite plusieurs éléments distincts (les deux côtés, l’avant, l’arrière, le pavillon, etc) qu’ils ne restent plus qu’à apposer sur la voiture.

Aujourd’hui, et cela depuis plus d’une dizaine d’années, il faut bien reconnaître que la “sobriété” est de mise chez les constructeurs, et on ne peux que le regretter. Plus ou peu de couleurs, pas ou peu de changements d’une saison à l’autre et à notre époque où le moindre kilo est chassé, certaines parties des autos n’ont même plus le droit à leur touche de peinture ou morceau de vinyle de couleur. Certains privés n’échappent pas à la règle, mais là, il est probable que la question budgétaire soit également une des clés de l’équation.

Lorsque l’on aborde la question avec quelques personnes, certains propos reviennent régulièrement : manque d’originalité, banale, pas ou peu de signes distinctifs entre plusieurs autos d’une même équipe, les équipes n’osent plus, les constructeurs ont le budget mais ne veulent pas faire d’efforts pour cela, etc…

David Usal, qui a réalisé plusieurs livrées ces dernières années en endurance (WR Welter Racing, Corvette C6-R Luc Alphand Aventures, Ferrari 458 GTE Luxury Racing, Peugeot 908 ORECA et ORECA 03 P2 et ORECA P1 hybride Hope Racing) nous donne son avis sur cette évolution.

“Selon moi, d’un point de vue général, je pense que cette notion de décoration a évolué dans le bon sens à ce jour. Cela est certainement dû au développement des médias, aux contraintes de mise en avant des partenaires et aux différentes techniques de créations de livrées (complexes ou non) beaucoup plus simples qu’auparavant.”

Cinq passionnés, qui sillonnent les circuits depuis de nombreuses années, ont accepté de répondre à nos questions et sur ce point leur opinion est plutôt partagé.

Frédéric Rendu : “Globalement, mis à part quelques opérations “one shot”, je trouve les décos trop tristes de nos jours. Même s’il est vrai qu’il y a de l’amélioration depuis deux ou trois saisons. Pour moi, les livrées des Audi et Porsche officielles sont d’une tristesse affligeante. Quand je vais sur un circuit, j’ai envie d’en prendre plein les yeux, pas pour voir du blanc, du gris et du noir. J’ai toujours été fan des décos réalisées par les équipes américaines, avec leurs gros numéros et des livrées qui flashent un peu plus, je prends pour exemple les livrées Tequila Patron sur les Ferrari 458, là oui, je suis fan !

BONNEVILLE PERFORMANCE TRIUMPH STREET TRACKER

The custom motorcycle scene is a fascinating but often uneasy battle between form and function. Occasionally the two worlds collide in spectacular style—and that’s what happens when you buy a Triumph street tracker from Florida-based Bonneville Performance.

Owner Bill Gately also runs an AMA Pro Flat Track team, which is sponsored by Triumph. So he knows how to make a bike go very fast.

For between $24,000 and $26,500, Bill will sell you one of his road-legal Street Trackers, with your choice of setup and performance package. Yes, it’s Ducati Panigale money—but it’s also money well spent.

No matter what engine you select, the core of the BP Street Tracker remains the same. You get a frame and top-braced swingarm made from 4130 cromoly—the same rig used on the race bikes. The wheels are 19-inch Sun alloy forged aluminum items, with stainless steel spokes and Barnes-style hubs.

Suspension is top-drawer stuff too. Up front are Yamaha R6 forks: rebuilt, re-sprung and lengthened. They’re attached to the frame with adjustable triple clamps, with offsets ranging from one to seven millimeters. Behind the rider is an Öhlins three-way adjustable shock—with the spring rate matched to the rider’s weight.

Braking is via a mix of Beringer and Performance Machine components, with full floating rotors and a multitude of pistons: six at the front and four at the back.

The real fun comes when you spec the engine. It’ll be a 2005 or later Triumph parallel twin, with a firing order of 360 degrees (Bonneville) or 270 degrees (America, Speedmaster and Scrambler).

A dynamically balanced crankshaft will replace the counter balance system, and you also get new Carrillo rods, hotter cams, oversized intake valves, Nikasil-plated cylinder sleeves, and ported heads and intake manifolds.

Fuel enters via a 41 mm Mikuni TM carb kit, and the exhaust system is Bonneville Performance’s own 2-into-1 stainless steel piping, terminated with a SuperTrapp silencer. If you prefer a darker look, simply ask for it to be ceramic coated in black.

The biggest decision to make is engine capacity and power. There are four capacities ranging from 865 to 1100cc, with varying bores and compression ratios. The 904cc spec will give you 82 rear-wheel horsepower, whereas the 995cc race-spec motor uses a 13.5:1 compression ratio to deliver a hefty 101 rwhp.

For a bike that only weighs just over 350 pounds—or 160 kilos—that’s ample grunt.

Complete power junkies can ask for a 1200cc motor. With the help of a lengthened stroke, this one sends 104 horses to the rear wheel but keeps the compression ratio to a friendly 10.5:1.

Bill’s developed his engine kits with the help of Wiseco, and they’ve been tested on the track. Even the paper gaskets are specifically made for the uprated motors, and the engines are heat-cycled to break them in and seal the rings.

With many customs, you have to choose between fast, cheap or good. But Bonneville Performance gives you two out of three, and that ain’t bad. At all.

Bonneville Performance website | Facebook

via BIKEexif

Icon BR Series Ford Bronco - Masterpiece In Metal

by Matt Emery

Photographers: Boyd Jaynes

There are some vehicles that have a certain lore in off-road racing. One of those is the first-generation Ford Bronco. Who can forget Parnelli Jones winning Baja in a Stroppe Bronco? Sure, it had a lot of work done to it to make it was able to handle not only Baja, but Jones’ aggressive driving style as well.
Over the years, the ’66-77 Ford Bronco has taken on near mythical proportions; and we’re not talking just about how expensive they have become. These vehicles are hotly sought after, and one reason why is they seem to embody the carefree early days that many baby boomers want to relive.
At only 44, Jonathan Ward, CEO and Lead Designer at Chatsworth, California-based Icon, may not technically be a boomer, but he knows that certain vehicles are Icons in their own right, and that’s why his company specializes in rebuilding these early Broncos.

 

An Iconic vehicle with a special place in the hearts of many off-road racers, this ’71 Ford Bronco has more than a few tricks up its sleeves. For instance, a Warn winch resides hidden inside the custom front bumper, which also has lockable storage units built right in.

Hand-built, his Broncos are more works of art than work trucks, and at nearly $225K a copy, they should be. Icon begins by replacing the stock frame with an Art Morrison unit that features modern suspension. Anyone in the hot rod and drag racing industries knows that a Morrison frame and suspension system is one of the absolute best, but this is the first we’ve heard of his product being used on an off-road vehicle. With the radius arm front end (with Johnny Joints) to the triangulated four-link rear system, the Morrison stuff is very nice.
To those systems, Ward and his crew installed a Dynatrac Dana 44 in front and a ProRock High-Pinion Dana 60 in the rear. Both are equipped with ARB Lockers. They both also are suspended by remote reservoir-equipped Fox Racing 2.5 coilover shocks that have been fitted with progressive Eibach springs. The result is a true 12 inches of wheel travel both front and rear.

 The Dynatrac Dana 44 front axle assembly is held aloft with a radius arm suspension system that features Fox Racing shocks equipped with Eibach springs and remote nitrogen canisters. The brakes are StopTech units that have six-piston calipers.

The Dynatrac units feature Warn hubs and Superior axles, which end with StopTech brakes. The front brakes consist of 355x32mm two-piece rotors, T4041 billet hats and six-piston calipers, while the rear have 328x28mm two-piece rotors, T4041 billet hats, four-piston calipers with a dedicated parking brake caliper built right in.
The performance continues as BFGoodrich A/T KO tires (285/70/17) reside on beadlock-equipped 17x8 cast-aluminum MHT Fuel Trophy wheels. The result is that this Bronco may look pretty, but it has the bona fides of a serious off-road vehicle.
It also has some serious horsepower, as the engine is a ’14 5.0L Ford Coyote that was originally intended for a Mustang GT. Producing 412 hp and 6,500 rpm, this fuel-injected, naturally aspirated, 11:1 compression ratio’d burner has it all: an aluminum block, forged crank and rods, cast-aluminum pistons, and aluminum heads. Inside those heads reside DOHC’s four valves per cylinder and feature variable intake and camshaft timing.

 Producing 412 hp, the ’14 Ford Mustang GT 5.0L (302ci) “Coyote” engine looks right at home in the Bronco’s engine bay.

They both may have displaced 302 ci, but this engine is a huge departure from the one that came stock in 1971. That variable intake and cam timing were honed thanks to a custom ECU and tune by AEM, which unlocked the VVT and cam’s hidden potential. Giving the Bronco that throaty growl that Mustangs are known for are the custom-made and ceramic-coated Icon headers backed up by Borla mufflers.
Special itself, the Ford 4R75W four-speed overdrive transmission has been equipped with a special high-pressure solenoid, and is controlled by a stand-alone ECU and wiring harness by Compushift. The Advance Adapter’s Atlas II transfer case (3.0:1 low range 1:1 high range) is CAD-CAM designed and CNC machined for off-road performance, without sacrificing on-road performance. The Atlas transfer case also features synchronized shift on the fly capability, while twin stick controls allow individual front and rear axle manipulation for maximum control.
If the mechanicals were designed for maximum control, then the interior was designed for the cultured minimalist. From outward appearances, it doesn’t look much different than a stock Bronco interior: until you look a little closer. Then, the attention to detail begins to stand out.
Details such as the custom aluminum glovebox door, the Icon-designed Dakota Digital Instruments that sit in a custom CNC’d alloy and laser-cut stainless housing. The CNC’d aluminum knobs or the gecko that adorns the dash and Caterpillar steering wheel? OK, never mind the gecko, how about those seats?
Icon modified some Bestop seats by covering them with Chilewich and Mercedes vinyl, as was the removable Bestop rear bench. Beams three-point safety harnesses keep the operator firmly in those seats. Also found are items normally seen in high-end hot rods; items such as the Lokar floor shifter, the ididit tilt steering column, and the Vintage Air air-conditioning system. Put them, all of the aluminum work and the upholstery together, and you have one smooth interior.

 Refined is the only word that applies to the interior. By taking the stock unit and adding custom touches such as custom-made Dakota Digital gauges, custom CNC’d aluminum knobs and glove box door and door panels. Other tricks include a Lokar shifter, a Vintage Air A/C unit, and tunes thanks to Alpine.

The center console is actually gun-safe rated … and it has four large cupholders. What more could you ask for? How about that the wiring throughout the Bronco is rated mil-spec grade, including the wiring of the Alpine stereo system. Is mil-spec wiring overkill? Perhaps; but better safe than sorry.
If the body looks like a standard Ford Bronco, that’s because it is. It came to Icon as an original, two-owner truck with only 76,000 miles on it. Rare, to say the least. Since they were building what can be called a resto-rod, having a good body to start with went a long way toward it being easier for Ward and his Icon crew to deal with.
Once they had it though, they completely disassembled it and took it down to bare metal. A Polyurea coating was applied to the floor, and then the various pieces were painted with a matte green that is actually a modified version of the mid ’60s Ford Mustang green.

 

The JW Speaker LED headlights are housed in the custom grille. All exterior marker and driving lights are LED units by United Pacific.

Once the pieces were reassembled, it was adorned with an Icon-designed, CNC-cut front grille with a laser-cut insert. Icon aluminum side marker lights and taillight guards feature a Volcanic black powdercoating. Those marker, taillights, and front turn lights are all LED, by the way, as are the JW Speaker LED headlights.
The Icon-designed front and rear bumpers are also powdercoated black. Inside the front one hides a Warn 9.5RC winch. A rear tire carrier, again an Icon-designed unit, carries a spare BFG KO and features two hidden storage lockers built right in.
As they are literally hand-built, it takes Icon nearly a year to produce one of these Broncos. Production is very limited and the work is done by craftsmen who have many years of fabricating experience. They did have help though, in the form of both the Ford Motor Company and, surprisingly, Nike.
Ward collaborated with Camilo Pardo, who is perhaps best known for designing the Ford GT, to fully realize a modernized take on this classic American utility vehicle. FoMoCo also helped in that they gave Icon access to key blueprints and offered engineering expertise when it came to integrating the modern powertrain into the classic Bronco. And what about a shoe company working on a truck? Well, Ward and Icon have worked with the Nike team in the past and they put together a 10-person team of engineers, designers, and fabricators who, Ward says, really helped to add a certain flair to the end result.
That end result is a Bronco that is not only capable off-road, it’s almost too pretty to take there. We hope whomever buys this Ford will not only take it on the trails, but we also hope that they know that they are driving an American Icon that deserves to be cherished and ridden hard. After all, they don’t call it Bronco busting for nothing.

 

A view of the backend of the Bronco shows a great-looking vehicle.

Icon BR Series
BuildSheet
Icon BR Series

Chassis:
Manufacturer Art Morrison
Wheelbase 91 3/8 inches
Overall Length 177 inches
Overall Height 79 inches
Track Width Front 69 inches, rear 67 inches
Engine:
Manufacturer Ford 5.0 Coyote
Builder Icon
Tuner Custom ECU and Tune by AEM
Horsepower: 412 hp at 6,500 rpm
Torque 390 lb-ft of torque at 4,250 rpm
Induction EFI
Air Filter Volant
Exhaust Icon-Borla
Cooling High-density alloy radiator with SPAL electric fan
Plumbing Icon
Wiring Icon
Drivetrain:
Transmission Ford 4R75W
Transfer Case Advance Adapter’s Atlas II
Front Dynatrac Dana 44 ProRock high-pinion with ARB lockers
Rear Dynatrac Dana 60 ProRock high-pinion with ARB lockers
Suspension:
Front Suspension Radius arm with Johnny Joints
Rear Suspension Triangulated Four-Link
Shocks/Front Fox Racing 2.5 coilover with remote reservoirs, Eibach Springs
Shocks/Rear Fox Racing 2.5 coilover with remote reservoirs, Eibach springs
Wheels/Tires:
Wheels 17x8 MHT Fuel Trophy
Tires 285/70/17 BFGoodrich A/T KO
Brakes:
Front StopTech 355x32mm two-piece rotors, T4041 billet hats, six-piston calipers
RearStopTech 328x28mm two-piece rotors, T4041 billet hats, four-piston calipers (dedicated parking brake caliper)

Exterior:
Bodywork Icon
Paint/Graphics
Modified ’60s Mustang color, matte metallic finish
Lights
JW speaker LED headlights. United Pacific LED exterior marker and taillights
Interior:
Seats Icon-modified Bestop seats, Chilewich and Mercedes vinyl upholstery
Harnesses Beams 3-point
Steering Wheel Hellcat
Dash Icon CNC-cut alloy and laser-cut stainless steel housing
Gauges Icon-designed Dakota Digital units
Shifter Lokar
GPS None
Radio/Intercom Alpine-Focal-JL Audio

Additional Information www.Icon4x4.com
www.artmorrison.com
www.ridefox.com
www.dynatrac.com
www.bfgoodrichtires.com
www.borla.com

From: http://www.fourwheeler.com

Sotheby’s acquires ownership interest in RM Auctions

British auction giant Sotheby’s has acquired a 25% ownership interest in RM Auctions as part of a new strategic partnership, which will see the Canadian collector car specialist operate under the name RM Sotheby’s…

According to RM Auctions, the collector car market is said to be worth more than $2bn – so it’s little wonder Sotheby’s wants a slice of the action. The two have collaborated successfully on numerous occasions in recent years, their 2013 ‘Art of the Automobile’ sale a particular highlight, at which more than $63m-worth of collector cars were sold off in less than two hours. That loose partnership has now become a fixed agreement, as Sotheby’s has acquired a 25% interest for an undisclosed fee, with ‘opportunities to increase the ownership stake as the partnership evolves and grows’. The first RM Sotheby’s sale will take place in Amelia Island on 14 March.

Photo: Getty Images

All auctions and lots from the RM Sotheby's sales can be found in the Classic Driver Market.

1969 Vespa 90

DBM Garage is an Italian company specializing in the restoration and customization of Vespas and motorcycles, besides automobiles. In 2011 we were present in all the newspapers of the world, about our participation in the Pharaon Rally in Egypt, riding the dunes of the African desert riding two Vespas PX by us realized.

This Vespa 90SS 1969, has been fully restored in the body and into the engine by the technicians of DBM Garage, accompanied by photographic documentation of the restoration.
It is the model with reinforced fork, engine parts original redone, original cylinder cover in plastic with logo "piaggio / 90", odometer Veglia Borletti with scale 100 km/h.
Rectangular logo Piaggio on the shield, and hexagonal logo on numbers engine and chassis, that marked the end of series production, chassis number and engine original, registered in Italy with European license plate.
The Vespa 90SS is among the most sought after by collectors, was introduced in 1965, two years after the Vespa 50 from which it was derived, and immediately became the dream of many boys. Remained in production until 1971 and built in just 5309 copies.
The front shield very tight, handlebar tilted down as the race bike, the top box and muffler chrome in sight, they made a real Vespa sport.

The colors in the catalog were five: three types of red, white and blue peacock.
Displacement 88.5 cc, power 6 hp at 6000 rev / min, speed just over 90Km / h, suspension with coil spring and hydraulic shock absorber on both wheels and drum brakes.
There was also a small production of Vespa 50 SS (which had the same frame of her older sister) destined for the foreign market, particularly Switzerland and Germany.

Each vehicle proposed by DBM GARAGE, can be sent to Italy or abroad with door to door service.
The price of transport is to be added to the sale price.
We receive customers by appointment.